Yesterday Phoronix showed proof of Steam's Linux client existence via its Mac OS X launcher that is currently in closed beta, then this morning they showed further signs of Linux support. Since 2008 it was known that Steam and the Source Engine would come to Linux. As an update, they even pointed out the download link for the Steam Linux binary from their store.

1. Steam is not coming to Linux. The so called "proofs" on phoronix site doesn't prove anything beside phoronix guys being noobs when it comes to software developing.

Spotting some string related to Linux in some Os X binaries and claiming that Steam is coming to Linux is lame. Those strings are in Os X binaries for the sole reason that some libraries that Steam client is linked against are present in both Os X and Linux.

I'll believe that Steam is comming to linux when I'll see the linux client or when Valve says it so.

2. Even if Steam is comming to linux, that isn't going to do anyone any good. Steam on linux means Valve's own and old games ported to linux and the rest of games running emulated with wine.

Half life is old and I don't see the reason why the people who finished it in 2004 will play it again in 2010.

The rest of games on Steam will still use DirectX and will still need to be emulated with wine.

Anyone can use wine emulation right now, with or without Steam. No need for Steam to run an emulated Windows game.

Gaming on Os X sucks. I tried it. Almost all games aren't native, instead they run emulated with cider. There's a huge performance difference between a native game and an emulated game.

If you don't believe me, try running native Doom 3 for linux and compare it with windows binary executed under wine.

3. Linux as a gaming platform is a mess. Try and run any game ported by Loki on any present day linux distro and tell me if you succeed.